Anonymous sources close to Apple have reported that the consumer electronics giant has finished its online music storage "locker" and is planning to launch it before Google releases its own version of cloud storage.

Apple's online music storage system will allow iTunes users to store music on a remote server and access their songs from various different devices. Apple hasn't signed any new licenses with record labels regarding the service yet, but record labels are eager to talk with Apple before the music locker is released.

Apple isn't the first online storage developer that music labels have sought after, though. Amazon recently released its Cloud Drive music storage system, and record labels claimed the service was illegal. According to the music labels, Amazon only had licensing rights to sell digital downloads, not to stream music to users. Amazon said the Cloud Drive didn't need licenses because the music belonged to the users. But just last week, Amazon decided to speak with record labels in order to make its storage service more "sophisticated."

With Apple and Amazon moving forward with their storage services, one has to wonder what happened to Google in the race for new digital media platforms. Google was expected to launch its own service in December 2010, but it stalled the release because it was looking into licensing for a subscription service. In fact, Google is still in talks with Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group and EMI Group.

Other reports have noted that shifts in upper management may have added to the time extension. As of April 1, Larry Page, co-founder of Google, became chief executive while Eric Schmidt was promoted to executive chairman.